Dear Bob, here are some photos of my life here on the campus of Concordia Seminary. I love kids, working with the grounds crew, swimming, playing with my dog friends, and especially my own family people.

Twitter Updates

August 02, 2017

The facts prove what we already knew

According to those who follow these things, the raccoon population is exploding. The reason for this growth in raccoons is the demand for raccoon fur is not what it used to be. Frankly, except for Davy Crockett and his coonskin caps I was unaware of any demand for fur from raccoons, at least in the modern age. But it seems there was a desire for this in China and Russia, but has now dwindled.

Another fact. In rural areas there are 40-50 raccoons per square mile, but in cities the numbers jump to 80 per square mile.

Their “cuteness” factor can sometimes make people hesitant to trap them, knowing Illinois state law says they must be destroyed. These animals are destructive creatures and not at all cuddly.

To help reduce the raccoon population, Illinois has added a month to the upcoming fur trapping season, which starts in November. Come November, fur trappers are welcome to begin their search in our Collinsville yard. They'll find a bounty without having to hide out in the cold woods.